Armrest



Dec. 28, 1943. E JONES 2,337,557

ARM REST Original Filed July 31, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l @M Hi;

B. E. JONES Dec. 28, 1943.

ARM REST Original Filed July 31, 1940 i 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IVES //vv/vro BASIL \/o I Arm 5' lh l-l-IL B. E. JONES ARM REST I Dec. 28, 1943 Original Filed July 31, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1|: a I I I I I V II WT i$ti i 5 JO VE s. E. JONE'S Dec. 28, 1943.

ARM REST Original Filed Jlily 31 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 PQA mws

Patented Dec. 28, 1943 ARMREST Basil E. Jones, Flossmoor, Ill., assignor to The Pullman Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of. Illinois Original application July 31, 1940, Serial No.

348,670. Divided and this application April 8, 1941, Serial No. 387,396

7 Claims. i'Cl. 155198) The arm rest forming the subject matter of the present invention can be shown in connection with a sofa which is divided into three individual seats, arm rests being provided on each side of each seat. Obviously other arrangements may be employed if desired.

The invention herein disclosed is particularly well suited for use in a railway passenger car.

The arm rest serves to define the limits of each seat, so as in effect to make each seat separate from the one next adjoining.

Each arm rest is sturdy and conveniently located for the user. When not in use it may be lowered in a pocket in the seat portion of the sofa so that its top face is flush with the tops of the seat cushions. It can be moved very easily and quickly from one position to another, and when in its inoperative position it is entirely out of the way and in fact forms a continuation of the seat cushion.

The above constitute some of the principal objects and advantages of the present invention, others of which will become apparent from the following description and drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a railway car showing the arm rests in position for use;

Fig. 2 is avertical sectional view through the sofa showing one of the arm rests in position for day use;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the convertible sofa taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. and showing the sofa back folded down for nighttime use;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the arm rest on the line i of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional View through the room portion of a car, showing in front elevation the convertible sofa in condition for night use, the view being taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through a portion of the convertible seat on the line 6-5 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. '7 is an exploded perspective view of the convertible seat and the arm rest showing the elements making up the complete assembly.

This application is a division of the co-pending application of Peter Parke, James K. Tully, Leif Anderson, and Basil E. Jones, Serial No. 348,670, filed July 31, 1940.

A specific embodiment of the present invention is selected for the purpose of complying with section 4888 of the Revised Statutes. Obviously many modifications may be made in the particular form shown without departing from the scope of the invention.

Referring to the figures, the sofa in each room is arranged to provide three comfortable seats with arm rests on each side of each seat which may be in place for use or folded out of the way, depending upon the requirements of the individual occupant. Each seat may be individually adjusted to an upright or semi-reclining position to suit the needs of the occupant.

The sofa is supported on a frame generally indicatedat H6 in Fig. 7, secured to the side wall 53 of the car and to the aisle partition 85 by brackets Ill (Fig. 5). Bosses 2 32 project down from the frame through holes in the brackets. This frame comprises a pair of spaced parallel beams H8 and H9 ,(Fig; 7) extending the full length of the sofa connected by a plurality of channel-shaped guide'members I20 and an angle end guide member IZI, all of which guide members extend crosswise with respect to the two beams H8 and H9. The angle member l2I is used on the end of the sofa frame adjacent to the aisle side, While the channel members are used in intermediate positions and on the car wall side of the sofa frame.

Each of beams H8 and I l9 comprises a suitable oore I22 bound on its sides by metal channel members I23, and I24. The seat guides MG and I2I are fastened to the beams H8 and H9 by some suitable means, such as by screws, as shown in Fig. 6, and are so spaced that a seat cushion fits between two adjoining seat guide members.

The channel-shaped seat guide members I28 serve as casings into which arm rests I68 are folded (see Fig. '7). In each of these guide members I20 is a channel-shaped arm rest support bracket I having a rear flange I5! and two side flanges I62 (Fig. 7). Extending upwardly from the side flanges are projecting arms I64 and E85. The arm rest support bracket is spaced from the end of the seat guide member I26, and, as best shown in Fig. 3, a block 166 is inserted between the support and the end of seat guide member I26. This block is upholstered at E5! (Fig. 3) in any suitable manner.

The arm rest I68 (Fig. 7) fits between the upwardly extending flanges of the channel guide member I20 and comprises back, intermediate and front members I15, lit and I69 respectively. The back and intermediate members We and I16 are hinged together at I12 (Fig. 3) and the intermediate and front members I16 and I69 are hinged together at I14.

The intermediate member I16 serves as the arm support when the arm rest is in its raised position, the back and front members I15 and I69, respectively, supporting the intermediate member in its raised position. The back member I15 serves to close the space between the seat cushions directly in back of the intermediate arm rest member I16 when the arm rest is folded into the seat guide member I20. The front member I69 folds back underneath the intermediate member when the arm rest is lowered into the guide I20.

The forward member I69 comprises a plate I13 to the outer face of which is secured a block I13, Suitable upholstering material covers this block.

The free end of the front plate I13 is provided with a flange I18 extending beyond the block I13 at an angle with respect to the plane of the plate I13.

The intermediate arm rest support member I16 comprises a base I93 (Fig. 3) on which is mounted an irregularly shaped supporting member I94. Sponge rubber I95 or other suitable cushion material covers the supporting member I94.

The back member I15 of the arm rest I68 comprises a supporting block I96 on which is secured a cushion I91 of rubber or the like.

Suitable upholster ng material indicated at I11 covers the back and intermediate members.

Referring again to Fig. 7, adjacent to the end of the frame along the front edge of beam II8 of the seat frame and directly below the channel-shaped seat guide member I20 is an end arm rest support bracket I19. This bracket is an angle member having a front flange I80 and a side flange I8I, the latter of which is secured to the end of beam H8. The front flange I80 of the bracket is spaced from the beam II 8 across the area directly below the seat guide member I 20, and is secured to the forward flange of beam I I8 along the flan e I82.

D rectly below the intermediate channelshaped seat guide members I20 are intermediate arm rest fastening brackets I83 having an intermediate outwardly oifset portion I84 spaced from the forward edge of beam IIB directly below the seat guide member I20, and flanges I85 and I86 extending beyond the ends of the intermediate portions I84 and secured to the forward edge of beam I I8,

As best shown in Fig. 2. the arm rest I68 is provided with trunn ons I81 on the opposite sides of the back member I15, which are journaled in holes I98 in the upper ends of projections I64 and I65 on the arm rest support bracket I60. When the arm rest is in position for use, it is raised out of the seat guide member I20 with the intermediate arm rest cushion member I16 spaced in hor zontal relationship above the seat and the back and front members I 15 and I13, respectively, extending substantially vertically downward from the intermediate member, The projecting flange I18 on the end of plate I13 is inserted in the opening in bracket I19 (in the case of the end arm rest, or in bracket I83 in the case of an intermediate arm rest support).

As best shown in Fig. '1, a slot I89 is placed in flange I18 of the arm rest I88, and, when the arm rest is in position for use, a dead-bolt I90 (Fig. 2) is moved forward and inserted in slot I89 to lock the arm rest in position. This dead-bolt may or may not be used.

The arm rest I68 is lowered into the seat guide member I20 by first unlocking the dead-bolt I90 and raising the flange I19 of the plate I13 out of the arm rest support bracket. Then, as shown in Fig. 3 the plate I 13 is folded under the end and intermediate sections I and I16 of the arm rest I68, and the assembly is lowered into the seat guide member I20.

The forward edge of the back member I15 of the arm rest I68 is inclined at I9I, and the rear end of the intermediate member I16 is similarly inclined at I92, so that when the arm rest 15 is in place in the seat guide member I these two inclined surfaces become complementary to each other, so that there is only a slight crack between the intermediate and the back members I16 and I15, respectively.

When the arm rest is not in use and is folded into the seat guide member I20, the top surface of both the intermediate and the back members I16 and I15, respectively, are flush with the seat cushion, and the front edge of the intermediate member I18 is flush with the front edge of the seat cushion, so that, in effect, when in its collapsed position, the arm rest forms a part of the seat cushion.

Summary The arm rest shown is inexpensive and very simple to manipulate. If desired the abutting faces of the various segments may be heavily padded so as to protect the fingers of the person adjusting the arm rest. This can be accomplished with sponge rubber or other suitable material.

The complete arm rest assembly includes the channel member I29 which constitutes the support and housing for the arm rest segments.

The arm rest is sturdy and when in position for use is strong and secure. When folded to its inoperative position it in effect forms a continua- I tion of the sofa seat, both in appearance and function, and, therefore, in no Way detracts from the seat comfort.

There is a wide range of choices for materials to be employed in the various parts making up the arm rest forming the subject matter of the present invention. As specific examples of suitable materials, however, such elements as the blocks I66, 519, I93, and I96 can be made of wood, whereas the plates I13 and I94 can be made of metal.

I claim:

1. An arm rest including an intermediate member, a downwardly extending back member hinged to one end of the intermediate member and a downwardly extending front member hinged to the other end of the intermediate member, an upwardly opening casing for the arm rest, a support bracket on the casing adjacent to one edge thereof, means for pivotally mounting the back member adjacent to its free end to the support bracket, means adjacent to the end of the casing opposite to the support bracket for detachably holding the free end of the front member, the arm rest being adapted to be folded into the casing, the front member folding against the underneath face of the intermediate member.

2. An arm rest comprising a substantially horizontal intermediate member, a back member extending downwardly from and hinged to one end of the intermediate member, a front member extending downwardly from and hinged to the other end of the intermediate member, a flange projecting beyond the free end of the front member, an arm rest support, means adjacent to the rear edge of the arm rest support for pivotally mounting the free end of the arm rest back member on the support, a bracket adjacent to the front edge of the arm rest support providing a slot into which the flange on the front member is inserted, and means for locking the front member in place, the arm rest being adapted to be lowered onto the support with the back and intermediate members lying substantially in one plane and the front member folded against the underneath face of the intermediate member.

3. An arm rest for use on a seat having a seat portion and a back and comprising three hinged segments in tandem, means adjacent to the free end of one of the end segments for pivotally supporting said segment on the seat, and detachable means for rigidly supporting the free end of the other end segment, the arm rest when in use assuming substantially the form of an inverted U and being collapsible independently of the back with the intermediate and one of the pivoted segments together assuming substantially a linear position and the other segment folding underneath the intermediate segment, the pivotally supported and intermediate segments being so shaped relative to each other that the top surfaces form a continuation of one another in a smooth curve when the segments are disposed in the linear position.

4. An arm rest for use on a seat having a seat portion and a back and comprising three hinged segments in tandem, an upwardly opening channel member of the seat portion substantially coextensive in length with the combined lengths of the intermediate and one end segments, means adjacent to one end of the channel member for pivotally supporting the free end of said end segment on the seat portion, and means adjacent to the other end of the channelmember for detachably supporting the free end of the other end segment on the seat portion, the arm rest when in use assuming substantially the form of an inverted U and disposed substantially directly above the channel member and being collapsible independently of the back into the channel member with the intermediate and one of the pivoted segments together assuming substantially a linear position and being so shaped relative to each other that their top surfaces are flush and form a continuation of one another in a smooth curve and the other segment folding underneath the intermediate segment.

5. An arm rest for use on a seat having a seat portion and a back and comprising three hinged segments in tandem, an upwardly opening channel member on the seat portion and substantially coextensive in length with the combined lengths of the intermediate and one end segments, means adjacent to one end of the channel member for pivotally supporting the free end of said end segment on the seat portion, and means adjacent to the other end of the channel member for detachably supporting the free end of the other end segment on the seat portion, the arm rest when in use assuming substantially the form of an inverted U and disposed substantially directly above the channel member and being collapsible independently of the back into the channel member with the intermediate and one of the pivoted segments together assuming substantially a linear position and being so shaped relative to each other that their top surfaces are flush and form a continuation of one another in a smooth curve and the other segment folding underneath the intermediate segment, the intermediate member being padded and on its bottom side being narrower than the distance between the upwardly extending flanges of the channel member.

6. For use on a seat, an arm rest including an intermediate member, downwardly extending back and front members hinged, respectively, to the opposite ends of the intermediate member, the combined lengths of the back and intermediate members being substantially equal to the distance from the front to the back of the seat, means for pivotally supporting the free end of the back member, and detachable means for supporting the free end of the front member, the intermediate and back members being so shaped relative to each other that their top surfaces are flush and form a continuation of one another in a smooth curve.

'7. For use on a seat, an arm rest including an intermediate member, a downwardly extending member hinged to each end of the intermediate member, means for pivotally supporting the free end of one of said downwardly extending members, the combined lengths of the intermediate member and said last named downwardly extending member being substantially equal to the distance from the front to the back of the seat, and means for detachably supporting the free end of the other downwardly extending member, the intermediate and back members being so shaped relative to each other that their top surfaces are flush and form a continuation of one another in a smooth curve.

BASIL E. JONES.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No; 2,357,557; December 28, 1915.

BASIL E. JONES.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above nunlbered patentrequi'ring correction as follows: Page 5, first column, line 56, claim 1;, for "of" read --on---; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the sat x1e may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of February, A. -D. 19th.

I Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

